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Obstetric Nursing - RPN

Certificate of Accomplishment | OBD2

Program Overview

This certificate is designed for RPNs employed in and/or seeking to advance their practice in obstetric nursing following a holistic, comprehensive model of care. Content spans pregnancy through postpartum and newborn with a focus on low risk situations and settings. It includes understanding historical perspectives and current themes, relevant assessments, evidence-informed nursing interventions, and development of collaborative partnerships with obstetrical clients, families, support persons, and other inter-professional team members.

There are opportunities for developing high level critical thinking, care planning, leadership and professional practice skills while exploring personal reflection and ethics. Special attention is paid to current trends in maternity care in hospital and community settings in Canada. This certificate is based on the Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses (CAPWHN) Perinatal nursing standards in Canada and the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) competencies for perinatal nurses.

Please note that the courses in this certificate need to be taken in a specific order.  Check that you have obtained the necessary pre-requisite prior to registering for a course.  Learners without the necessary pre-requisites will be removed from courses and charged the administrative fee. 

For nurses enrolled in legacy or previous versions of the certificate/theory courses, after March 2022, certificates for legacy programs will no longer be granted. The program advisor can provide information on how to upgrade your certificate to the latest curriculum.

Admission Requirements

  • Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) 

To ensure a smooth transition from coursework to practical application, all learners are required to complete their placement within one year of finishing the required courses. This timeline is essential for maintaining the integrity and relevance of the skills acquired during your studies. We encourage learners to initiate their placement as soon as possible to fully benefit from the hands-on experience.

If you wish to be enrolled in the Obstetric Nursing - RPN certificate program please select “Next Steps” below. 

Next Steps

Certificate Pathway

*OBST 608 may be taken in any order before OBST 529.

Please note that OBST 608 is equivalent to OBST 508.

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Curriculum

Quick-Look Availability Scheduler

Use the Quick-Look Availability Scheduler to see available courses in a calendar view and plan towards achieving your certificate.

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Course Name 2024/2025 Academic Year 2025/2026 Academic Year 2026/2027 Academic Year
Compulsory Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan
OBST 520: Essentials of Pre-Pregnancy and Prenatal Care
OBST 521: Understanding Labour, Birth and Women and Newborns at Low Risk
OBST 524: Postpartum and newborn: Assessment and initial management
OBST 529: Obstetric Nursing - Clinical Practicum for the RPN
OBST 608: Human Milk Feeding Basics

Compulsory Courses

OBST 520 Essentials of Pre-Pregnancy and Prenatal Care
  Start Date: January 2025  
Based upon the Perinatal Nursing Standards in Canada (Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses, [CAPWHN] 2018), the course guides the student to investigate the health and nursing care of individuals and their families during preconception and antenatal periods. A review of anatomy and physiology will be included. Both strengths and challenges will be considered for the childbearing family across diverse settings. Students will be encouraged to critically examine their own beliefs about topics in this course while exploring common physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial adaptations in low risk pregnancies

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OBST 521 Understanding Labour, Birth and Women and Newborns at Low Risk
 
Based upon the Perinatal Nursing Standards in Canada (Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses, [CAPWHN] 2018), this course prepares the RPN to think critically about the experience of labour and birth in order to support the child-bearing individual and newborn at low risk, and the family, following birth. There is a focus on the stages of labour, supportive care, complications and interventions associated with labour and birth including grief and loss, and the immediate recovery period. Students will be encouraged to critically examine their own beliefs about topics in this course while exploring physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial adaptations in low risk labour and birth including common challenges in childbirth.

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OBST 524 Postpartum and newborn: Assessment and initial management
  Start Date: January 2025  
Based upon the Perinatal Nursing Standards in Canada (Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses, [CAPWHN] 2018), this course prepares the RN and RPN to think critically about the nurse’s role in the postpartum period including care of the childbearing person, newborn, and family following birth. There is a focus on physiological and psychosocial assessment and interpretation of data, supportive care, interventions, and health teaching associated with the postpartum period. Nurses will be encouraged to critically examine their own beliefs about topics in this course while exploring physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial adaptations following birth for the childbearing person, newborn, and family.

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OBST 529 Obstetric Nursing - Clinical Practicum for the RPN
  Start Date: January 2025  

The registered practical nurse participates in this clinical course and applies theoretical principles and knowledge within the acute perinatal clinical setting. The registered practical nurse demonstrates safe and professional practice at the novice level in the postpartum unit and observes during one shift within the labour and birth unit. The registered practical nurse follows the Perinatal Nursing Standards in Canada (Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses, [CAPWHN] 2018) and central concepts that underpin perinatal nursing of the Canadian Nurses’ Association. By establishing relationships with the postpartum person and neonate at low risk and the family, the registered practical nurse will facilitate communication, assessment, and education skills with families from diverse backgrounds in varied provincial level 1 or 2 hospital settings. The registered practical nurse collaborates effectively with Humber College faculty and members of the health care facility in this preceptored, clinical course and reflects daily upon learning opportunities.

The Obstetric Nursing-RPN clinical is 150 hours (in postpartum with 1 shift of observation in Labour and Birth) and must be completed within a 3-month term. Nurses are required to do two shifts weekly following their preceptor’s schedule. 

Step 1: Start your clinical placement application process by completing this Clinical Placement Request Form. Once we receive this form, we will add your name to the clinical waitlist and send you detailed information about the clinical placement process. Your placement requests will be submitted to the hospitals for the next term according to the placement request submission deadline. The placement requests are submitted three months in advance.

Step 2: Once you have submitted your Clinical Placement Request Form, please start working on the Health Clearance requirements, which may take three months to obtain

Note: You will be notified to register for the Clinical Course
  • Once we have secured your clinical placement and
  • You have successfully completed all the pre-requisite courses and
  • You have emailed all the health clearance requirements to the Humber Health Clearance Office.

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OBST 608 Human Milk Feeding Basics
  Start Date: January 2025  

Learners critically examine their knowledge base, attitudes, and biases regarding infant feeding and learn about the significance of the WHO Code & Baby Friendly Initiative. Students also learn how to assess and manage common concerns with human milk feeding in the initial postpartum period. Emphasis will be placed on effective communication skills and the impact of social support for the infant and family, and on promoting self-efficacy in infant feeding. This course is based upon the Canadian Nurses’ Association competencies, the Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses (CAPWHN), Public Health Agency of Canada, and the clinical competencies of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.

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Contact Us

Humber Continuous Professional Learning Health Sciences & Wellness
cplhealthsciences@humber.ca
416.675.6622 ext. 4554


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